Clock movement



Sept. 12, 1933. H. H. RIGGS 1,926,456

CLOCK MOVEMENT Filed July 29, 1929 Patented Sept. 12, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 15 Claims.

My invention relates to clocks driven by spring, weight or other continuous mechanical power, whose rate is regulated by a pendulum or other oscillating member. A specification showing a device embodying some of the essential principles of the present invention was filed on March 23, 1927, Serial Number 177,695, and a second on March 2, 1928, Serial Number 258,620, both entitled Clock movement. The present specification sets forth aclock movement which, while embodying some of the essentials shown in the former ones, is in some respects a novel device.

The objects of the present modifications and improvements are, first, to provide a movement in which the action of the pendulum is quite independent of the variations in the power of the driving mechanism, second to make the device applicable to tower clocks, and third to further :simplify the mechanism and eliminate parts liable to failure in action.

My invention will 'be clearly understood from the following description of an embodiment of the device, this form being suitable for a tower clock; taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which;-

Figure 1 is a view from the front of the clock, the hands, face and front plate being removed so as to display the other parts.

Figure 2 is a View taken from the right side of the clock.

Figure 3 is a View of the parts below the escape wheel, viewed from above.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are detail views showing the positions of the escapement parts when in motion.

The main arbor 1, journalled in the front plate 2 and the back plate 3, carries at one end the hands 4 and 5, with the usual reduction gearing 6, and at the other end the bevel gear '7 for turning the tower hands if desired. The weight 8 and cord 9 wound on the drum 10 furnish power for driving the main arbor 1 through the gear wheel 11 and the pinion 12 fixed on the main arbor 1. The escapement wheel 13 is mounted on a hub or sleeve 14, which turns freely on the arbor l. The motion of rotation of the arbor 1 is trans ,mitted to the escapement wheel 13 by the arm 15 which projects from the arbor 1, and presses against the pin 16 projecting from the escapement wheel vl3, or else by the spring 17, which connects the arm 15 with the pin 16.

The escapement wheel 13 is normally. held stationaryby the stop tooth 18 on'the escapement lever. 19, which is supported in the holding position-by the trigger under the end of the arm 21. The stop tooth 18, the arm 21, and also the camsurface 22 are integral parts of the escapement lever 19. The lever 19 rocks on the fixed pivot 23, and is so positioned that when the arm 21 is held up by the trigger 20 the stop tooth 18 engages a tooth 24 of the escapement wheel 13. And when the trigger is pushed out from under the arm 21 the stop tooth 18 drops downward, releasing the tooth 24 and permitting the escapement wheel to turn forward. As the wheel 13 turns another tooth 25 impinges on the cam-surface 22 and rocks the lever 19 back into its former position so that the arm 21 is again over the trigger 20.

The pendulum 26 is suspended in the usual manner and linked in any convenient manner with the pendulum arm 27, which thus moves with the pendulum. At the point opposite to the trigger 20 the pendulum arm 27 carries a pawl 28, adapted to engage teeth on the escapement wheel 13. From the side of the pawl 28 projects the pin 29, so positioned that as the pendulum swings the pin 29 may be caused to slide up over the guide 30, and when it does so, to strike against the pin 31, which projects from the trigger 20.

The pawl 28 is pivoted at 32, and normally rests on the pin 33 both on the pendulum arm 27. When the pawl is in this position it is so positioned that as the pendulum swings the pin 29 passes below the guide without touching it, and the pawl 28 does not come into engagement with the escapement wheel 13.

The guide 30 turns freely on the pivot 34. The arm 35 turns on the same pivot and engages a projection 36 of the guide 30, so that when the arm 35 rests on the pin 37, the point 38 of the guide 30 is held up and out of the operating position. But when the arm 35 is lifted, the guide 30 drops into its operating position resting on the pin 39. When in this position the point of the guide 30 is in the path of motion of the pin 29, which slightly lifts the guide 30 whenmoving to the right, see Fig. 4, but slides up over the guide 30 when moving to the left. See Figs. 5 and 6.

The guide 30 is moved into operating position when the arm 35 is lifted by the pin 40, which projects from the timing wheel 41. The timing wheel 41 is driven by the pendulum arm 27 through any convenient pawl mechanism, such as the pawl 42, pivoted on the pendulum arm 27. This pawl reaches the maximum of its push against the timing wheel 41 at a point somewhat before the right hand end of the swing of the pendulum, and is prevented from taking more than one tooth of the timing wheel 41 by striking against the pin 43 in the course of its swing toward the left.

The number of teeth on the timing wheel 41 is so proportioned to the rate of swing of the pendulum that the timing wheel makes one revolution in exactly one minute, or other determined interval such that the main arbor makes one revolution in an hour.

A drag of some convenient form is attached to the main arbor 1 so as to make its rotation sluggish. The drag shown consists of a disc 44 turning in a fixed reservoir 45 filled with some viscous substance like tar.

The operation of this device is as follows:- The pendulum being set in motion the pawl 42 drives the timing wheel 41 till the pin reaches the cam surface 46 on the arm 35 and lifts the arm. The guide 30 then drops into operating position, and on the return swing of the pendulum toward the left the pin 29 slides up the guide 30, lifting the pawl 28 till its point comes within the arc of motion of the teeth of the escapement wheel 13. See Fig. 6. At the same instant the pin 29 strikes the pin 31, knocking the trigger 20 out from under the end of the arm 21. Thus released the lever 19 rocks so as to release the tooth 24 of the escapement wheel 13 from the stop tooth 18. The escapement wheel 13, under the pressure of the spring 17, turns forward until a tooth 47 strikes the point of the pawl 28, pushing it before it and through it imparting an impulse to the pendulum. The pendulum thus receives one impulse during each rotation of the timing wheel 41, and the escapement wheel moves forward one tooth during the same period. As the escapement wheel continues to turn the cam surface 22 is struck by the tooth 25 so as to restore the lever 19 to its former position. A spring 48 throws the trigger 20 back into its position supporting the end of the arm 21. The arbor 1, driven by the weight and cord 8, 9, and retarded by the drag 44, 45, rotates more slowly until the arm 15 once more rests against the pin 16. It will thus be seen that the escape wheel moves only under the pressure of the spring 17, and the impulse imparted to the pendulum is therefore dependent on the strength of that spring and not on the force of the weight and cord. The surplus power of the driving mechanism, necessary to insure turning of the hands in any weather is never applied to the escape ment wheel except when the latter is at rest.

1. In a clock movement, in combination, a train carrying time-indicating members, a positively driven escapement wheel controlling the train, a pendulum, a timing wheel driven by the pendulum, and means actuated by the timing wheel once during each revolution to set the escapement wheel in motion. I

2. In a clock movement, in combination, a train carrying time-indicating members, a positively driven escapement wheel controlling the train, a pendulum, a timing wheel driven by the pendulum, and means actuated by the timing wheel once during each revolution to transmit an impulse from the escapement wheel to the pendulum.

3. In a clock movement, in combination, a train carrying time-indicating members, a positively driven escapement wheel controlling the train, a pendulum, a timing wheel driven by the pendulum, and means actuated by the timing wheel once during each revolution to set the escapement wheel in motion and to transmit an impulse from the escapement wheel to the pendulum.

4. In a clock movement, in combination, a train carrying time-indicating members, a pendulum, a positively driven escapement wheel controlling the train, an escapement lever controlling the movement thereof, a timing wheel driven by the pendulum, and means by which the timing wheel sets the escapement lever in motion at regular intervals greater than the period of swing of the pendulum.

5. In a clock movement, in combination, a train carrying time-indicating members, a positively driven escapement wheel controlling the train, a stop preventing rotation of the escapement wheel, a pendulum, a timing wheel driven by the pendulum, and means actuated by the timing wheel once during each revolution to release the escapement wheel from said stop.

6. In a clock movement, in combination, a train carrying time-indicating members, a positively driven escapement wheel controlling the train, a pendulum, a timing wheel driven from the pendulum, and an'escapement lever operated by the timing wheel once during each revolution of the timing wheel, and controlling the movement of the escapement wheel.

'7. In a clock movement, in combination, a train carrying time-indicating members, a positively driven escapement wheel controlling the train, a pendulum, a timing wheel driven from the pendulum, a pawl moving with the pendulum and adapted to engage the escapement wheel, and a guide controlled by the timing wheel and adapted to bring the pawl into engagement with the escapement wheel.

8. In a clock movement, in combination, a pendulum a train carrying time-indicating members, a positively driven escapement wheel controlling the train, a stop preventing rotation of the escapement wheel, a trigger holding the stop in engagement with the escapement wheel, and means for causing the pendulum to trip the trigger occasionally, at intervals greater than the period of swing of the pendulum.

9. In a clock movement, in combination, a pendulum a train carrying time-indicating members, a positively driven escapement wheel controlling the train, a timing wheel driven from the pendulum, a stop preventing rotation of the escapement wheel, a trigger holding the stop in engagement with the escapement wheel, a pin moving with the pendulum, and a guide moved by the timing wheel into such position that the guide causes the pin to trip the trigger.

10. In a clock movement, in combination, a positively driven escapement wheel, a pendulum, a pawl moving with the pendulum, and adapted to engage the escapement wheel, and a movable guide adapted to direct the pawl into engagement with the escapement wheel at regular intervals which are greater than the period of swing of the pendulum.

11. In a clock movement, in combination, a positively driven escapement wheel, a pendulum, a pawl moving with the pendulum and adapted to engage the escapement wheel, a timing wheel driven from the pendulum, a stop preventing rothe pawl into engagement with the escapement wheel.

12. In a clock movement, in combination, a positively driven escapement wheel, a stop preventing rotation of the escapement wheel, a trigger holding the stop in engagement with the escapement wheel, ,a cam adapted to be acted upon by the escapement wheel so as to move the stop into engagement with the escapement wheel and with the trigger whenever such engagement has been disturbed.

13. In a clock movement, the combination of an escapement wheel, a pendulum, a pawl moving with the pendulum and adapted to engage the escapement wheel, a guide adapted to direct the pawl into engagement with the escapement wheel, a timing wheel driven from the pendulum and adapted to move the guide into or out of its operating position, an escapement lever controlling the movement of the escapement wheel, and means operated by the pawl to release or arrest the escapement lever.

14. In a clock movement the combination of a driving arbor and a drag uniformly retarding the rotation of the arbor, with an escapement wheel mounted to freely rotate on the arbor, and a flexible connection by which power is transmitted from the arbor to the escapement wheel.

15. In a clock movement, in combination, a driving arbor, an escape wheel, a flexible connection between the driving arbor and the escape wheel, a stationary member, another member rotating with the arbor, and a viscous substance in contact with both the moving member and the stationary member.

HENRY H. RIGGS. 

